With caffeine’s stimulating properties known to increase our heart rate, doctors have long told those with the common heart rhythm disorder AFib to cut out their coffee intake, but a surprising new study is raising a cup to the potential benefits of a daily cup of Joe. The study, produced in tandem by UC San Francisco and the University of Adelaide showed that the previous advice of staying away from caffeine may have been incorrect, because rather than making the condition worse, AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) sufferers received benefits from the popular brown beverage. The condition itself is the most common type of arrhythmia, and can cause the heart to beat to fast, slowly, or in an irregular manner. It is estimated that more than 12 million people in the U.S. live with AFib, causing those individuals to take care of their diet and nutrition in order to stay healthy.
How Was the Study Carried Out?
Researchers designed what they called the “DECAF” study, short for “Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation?” The trial included more than 200 AFib patients who were regular coffee drinkers and gave them randomly assigned protocols that included abstinence from coffee, an espresso shot each day, or at least one cup of caffeinated coffee daily, over the course of six months.
What Were the Results?
In results that many experts found surprising, the group that drank coffee received a 39% lower risk of recurring AFib episodes. “The results were astounding,” said the study’s first author, Christopher X. Wong, PhD. “Doctors have always recommended that patients with problematic AFib minimize their coffee intake, but this trial suggests that coffee is not only safe but likely to be protective.”
One theory behind the reduced risk seen in coffee drinker’s is that they are not consuming more unhealthy beverages like sugar laden energy drinks. “Coffee increases physical activity which is known to reduce atrial fibrillation,” explained Gregory M. Marcus, MD, MAS, an electrophysiologist at UCSF Health and the senior author of the study, further explaining that “caffeine is also a diuretic, which could potentially reduce blood pressure and in turn lessen AFib risk. Several other ingredients in coffee also have anti-inflammatory properties that could have positive effects.”
Rates of AFib have been climbing in recent years, largely due to aging populations and increasing obesity. Experts estimate that as many as one in three people may experience the condition at some point in their lives, so it’s good to know that coffee may still be on the menu.
